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Australian farmers could have world’s woolliest sheep

Six-year-old Shaun the merino sheep may be the world's woolliest sheep. Photo: Reuters

By Samantha Mountford

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Two Australian farmers say that they may have found the world’s woolliest sheep, whose estimated 55 lb coat, if confirmed, could shatter the world record currently held by neighboring New Zealand.

Shaun the sheep was found on Sunday wandering in a country area near the town of Oatlands, 52 miles from Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, the largely rural island state off Australia’s southeastern coast.

“He couldn’t see very well because of the wool over his face, so I snuck up behind him and grabbed ahold of him,” farmer Peter Hazell told reporters.

The six-year-old merino sheep had likely never been shorn in his life, the farmers said, but he was due to have a date with the clippers in the next few days.

The Australian farmers say they anticipate Shaun will overtake the current world record, held by a New Zealand sheep called Shrek.